10 Best Practices When Writing Your Dissertation

10 Best Practices for
Writing Your Dissertation
Copyright © Ultius, Inc.
A quick and handy reference guide with tangible steps you can take to
complete your master level dissertation easier. This presentation is a
condensed version of a post published on the Ultius blog.
Full post link: https://ults.co/2ep8MTK
October 18, 2016

10 Best Practices for Writing Your Dissertation October 15, 2016
Read full article: https://ults.co/2ep8MTK Copyright © Ultius, Inc.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOPIC01 You are going to be stuck with this project for a long time. Take your
time and make sure to pick a compelling topic that will get you through
the long process.
DO THIS DON’T DO THIS
GENUINE INTEREST
Pick something you have a real
interest in, like issues you care
about.
ORIGINALITY
Choose a topic that is unique and
not over saturated by other
scholars.
BROAD TOPICS
Narrow down your focus within a
discipline so that you hit your mark
when done.
NO PREVIOUS RESEARCH
Be original, but make sure your
topic has previous research so you
have evidence.

KNOW THE STRUCTURE02 When it comes to creating a structure (or format) for your document, don't re-invent the wheel. Stick with
working on each section as described below.
Structure of a dissertation
Initial proposal
Introduction
Literature review
Methodology
Body chapters
Results and discussion
Conclusion
References and appendix

CREATE AN OUTLINE03 Plan out your work accordingly into a neat outline so that you know what sections you have to work on
and the overall scope of the project.
My Outline
I. Introduction
a. Background information
b. Thesis overview
II. Literature Review
a. Source #1
b. Source #2
III. Methodology
IV. Results
...
Let your adviser review it to let you know if you are on the
right track.
Be like the solar system and "plan-et" out. Seriously, no
great dissertation was ever written without a good plan of
attack.
Be as thorough as possible and indicate exactly what you
are going to write about in each section by adding a brief
description for each section.

CONDUCT PROPER AND THOROUGH
RESEARCH
04
The majority of your time (75%) should be spent doing research on your topic. If you do this part right,
the writing portion will be easier.
TIME ALLOCATION CHART BEST SOURCE DATABASES
Use these resources to get started.
Google Scholar
JSTOR
EBSCOhost
Campus library
ProQuest Primary research*

COMPILE SOURCES AS YOU GO05 You are going to be stuck with this project for a long time. Take your time and make sure to pick a
compelling topic that will get you through the long process.
USING NOTECARDS
For every source, make a notecard
with all of the relevant information
about the source as well as how
you plan to use it in your research.
SAVE “QUOTABLE” MATERIAL
As you go through each source,
collect and organize quotes you can
use to cite research later.
Paraphrase the information used.
DEVELOP A SYSTEM
However you compile sources, do it
on the fly and don't be afraid to
develop your own system. Just
make sure to stick with it.
DON’T WAIT
DO NOT wait until you are done
writing to compile your sources. You
will lose precious time.

MANAGE TIME BY TRACKING PROGRESS06 Managing your time wisely is the best practice you can follow while writing your dissertation. But
remember that an activity cannot be managed until it is tracked!
DISSERTATION COMPLETION CHART - Consider making an Excel
spreadsheet that tracks
your completion (in pages)
by the day.
- This way, you can track
real progress and work on
your velocity.

OVERCOMING WRITER’S BLOCK [TO-DO]07 Inevitably, you will face writer's block at some point. It's important to overcome this temporary
obstacle by doing the right things and staying positive.
TAKE BREAKS
Take breaks every 50 minutes. Go
on walks, get coffee, phone a friend
or take a nap.
LISTEN TO MUSIC
Lift yourself up with some classical
music or other groovy tunes. It will
boost your spirits.
REMOVE DISTRACTIONS
Concentrate by setting your phone
on airplane mode and disable Wi-Fi
on your computer.
GO OUT
Go out with friends and family to
clear your head until you are ready
again.

OVERCOMING WRITER’S BLOCK [NOT TO-DO]07 While you are dealing with writer’s block, it’s important to avoid certain coping mechanisms that may
not be so good for you, according to various studies.
AVOID WRITING
Don't force yourself to write if you
are really stuck. You will grow bitter
and resent the work.
WATCH TV
TV distracts you in a way that is not
productive for helping you get back
on the horse.
SELF-PITY AND ANGUISH
Don't be hard on yourself, writer's
block happens to everyone. Focus
on positive coping methods.
WAIT FOR 'INSPIRATION'
Inspiration comes from being
engaged in the process and
thinking critically, not waiting.

HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM IN PLACE08 As you are preparing for a long road towards your master's degree make sure to take advantage of your
other resources. Things will get tough and you won't be alone.
Tell your loved ones ahead of time that
you are working on a major milestone
and you need their support.
FAMILY
Make sure that your friends respect
your time, life choices and overall
commitment to getting the work done.
FRIENDS
Your adviser has been there before
and knows what to do if you get stuck
and need help.
ADVISERS
Professors can give you both practical
and emotional support if you open up
and ask them to.
PROFESSORS

SECURE GOOD FEEDBACK09 Avoid having to 'backtrack' and re-do work by getting feedback along the way. You have many free and
paid resources available to help you.
PROFESSOR OR ADVISER
FRIEND OR PEER
CAMPUS WRITING LAB
EDITING SERVICES
Always try and secure good feedback from people you
trust.
Be careful with having friends edit your work because they
may not have the experience.
Consider working with an Ultius dissertation editor. We
have seasoned professionals ready to help.

KEEP THE PASSION IGNITED10 Keep your passion going strong by finding an inspiring mentor or notable figure, remember why you
picked this topic, ditch your comfort zone and have fun!
FIND A MENTOR
Have a trusted mentor in your field
to inspire you to keep going and
reach higher.
NO COMFORT ZONES
Push your limits and challenge
yourself every week by going
deeper into your work.
REMEMBER THE ‘WHY’
Recall why you picked your major,
your topic and your life path - these
feelings will light the way.
HAVE FUN
Stay positive and have fun because
you are doing what most people
won't (or can't).

ADDITIONAL READING
If you enjoyed this presentation on dissertation best practices, make sure to explore these additional resources.
GOOGLE DOCS VS MS WORD – COMPARISON
Wondering whether to commit to MS Word or Google
Docs when doing your writing or researching? We
compared the features.
Read post
6 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING
Clear steps that are guaranteed to improve your
writing as whole. This guide is backed up by
research and includes visual examples.
Read post
WHY READING MAKES YOU A BETTER WRITER
Find out how reading more often can improve your
writing (and your dissertation). Explore the latest
research from experts on the topic.
Read post
EDITING SERVICES
To make your dissertation even better, consider
working with a dedicated dissertation editor from
Ultius. We have specialists in every topic.
Read more

THE END
That’s it! We hope this guide was helpful for you.

10 Best Practices When Writing Your Dissertation

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